Trolley.



C. AALBORG.

TROLLEY.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12', I915.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

2 SHEgTS-SHEET I.

b 36 Q w wnmzssEs;

INVENTOR Cir/32% 44 /b0/; 6151 ATTIORNEY c. AALBORG.

TR'OLLEY.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12, l9l5.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\ mm/ mm wmmw n ww m WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY "gprmisrmiv :Anmzoneg or w inxmsnune, a 1 3 HOUSEanaemicmunmvrmemo'rvmue'poi/rum; 1 A conromnrmu or warm:

",1 vv symmnrng- I I a I i; To "all whom dam-a3! "concern:

, a citizen-of the'Unit c1 State s;and a resident Y new and "usefulImprovement in Trolleys,

1 1 I special ?reference to 10' collect 1 large amounts "of "current at'high of m illvlin'sburgi iri'the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania;*have 'iriventeda whichthe followin 'lis a'specification.

'My invention relates to trolleysfand it has trolleys of the pantographtype that are adapted "particularly to V speeds.

. and dtirable 'inleonstruction, effective and reliable. in operation;and especially fadapted I v conductor 'witha "rapidity that sh I titer,shall enibody means I a slight drag or sensitively followv theirregularities of the V of action electrical, contact and palraillelinovements in a vertical" plane, which shallhe yieldingl'y maintainedin'ele'c tricallcontact with 'theftrolley conductor by and ivhich,moresuit'alil'e elevating springs,

' i for permitting of haokivard tilting j'movement of the jpantographframe" as a whole, under normal operating cond'i ions andparticuflarly'wvhe'n irregularities in the trolleyfcon'ductorareencountered, parts bemgrsuch as; to

the arrangement of tend to restore the i pantographgframe to its initialcentral posiyidea simple, light andrugg'ed supporting- 1 frame'structurej vhlch iscarrled upon a plurahty of insulators;

: Anotheri ohject'of my inventionis to pro- 7 and'upon which thepantographframe and operatlng means are mountedin suchmanner as tominimize the frictional resistanceusua'lly imposed uponth'erotatableparts of the device in the cornmon form of'panto'graphxtrolley.

sition "and "having An'otherobiect of'my invention is to pro,- vi'de "animproved form of atch for restraim ing"thepantographifl alne in'itslowered p a fluid-actuated release deidce in whiclf'a' single coilspring is emof' opposirig the working ployed for perming ."the 'double"function niovement" of "the i TROLLEY."

ootl ess of operation,. even at high Another fohj'ect of my jinventionis to prolei a trolleyof theabove indicated 'characteifvvhichshallprimarily be adapted for in'its upper operative y r a portion ofthetrolley rENNsYLvAirIA; nssreiron ro -wnsrrme= piston'and also formaintainingjthe latch'in its locked position. p i

In the prior art,f'it has 'been'customary to provide pantograph trolleyshaving merely Vertical-parallel movements, and to rely entirely'fuponthe .flexihility of the frame or that of the contact shoe to compensatefor irregularities in thetrolley-conductor.

Mo re0ver, the supporting; bases of devices of th s type have been'relativel heavy and bulky in construction, While the fluid-aetu atedfoper'ating cylinders'have been'cu'stomarily supported upon,'0rsuspended from; transverse operating shafts, thereby unnee' essarilyincreasing 'the frictional resistance thereof. Furthermore, thepneumaticallyreleased restraining latches have embodied a "plurality ofsprings}? one fdi' i'eacting againstthe {movable piston to" return toits initial position and the other for biasing the la'tch to-the lockedposition." v

[According to my presentinvention, I propose to provide a device thatshall, by reason of its improved construct ion, secure the benefits andadvantages ,hereinbefore' 'enu merated, v and," at the same time,difficulties and disadvantages heretofore eXR- perienced in devices of'thi's gener'al charaCter.

companying drawings in which Figure} is a a vieW, partially inseotionand partia'llyin side' ele'vation, of a pantograph"trolleyjco nstructedin accordance with my invention;

the trolley be'ingpshoivn' in'its upperposition; Fig.2"is a View,partially in fsi'def elevation and partially in section, of "thetrolleyin its'lo'iv'e'r or-lockedposition; Fig.1

3 is a similar View of 'a portion ofthe trolley tilted position"; Fi4:is a plan view of shown in the foregoing figures; Ifigs; 5,6, 7 and 8"are enlarged detail views of'certa'in portions of 'theappar'atus; andFigfi9 is a fragmentary plan View of a modified form ofmy invention. p

- Rferring'to the drawings;

My invention 1s illiistrat'ed in the "11d:

f UNIZEEDSTATES PATENT enrich.

avoid the' the apparatusshown'com'prlses a plurality of insulatorsl,

' rods 26 are attached and a toothed cam 27 and a at their upper ends,

.1 connectedlinks 34and 35.

in longitudinally disposed pairs on i' the respective sides of theapparatus and are severally provided with caps positely projectinglateral lugs 11. upon which pairs of longitudinally-disposed parallelsupporting members 12 the latter members preferably in the form of angleirons. Secured supporting members 12, intermediate their ends, are aplurality of transversely disposed supporting members or angle irons 13which, together with the members 12, constitute, in part, theframe-structure 2 upon which the ,pantograph frame 4 is mounted.

The pantograph frame 4 is ofwell-known construction and comprises apair" of jointed members 15 and 16, each of which embodies a pair ofcorrespondingly located and like members '17 and 18' which are rigidlyconne'cted by cross-braces 19 and 20, in a suitable manner. I Themembers17 .and 18 are jointed or pivotallyassociated at 23, while the uppermembers 18 ofthe respective jointed frame members 15 and 16 arepivotally connected, and suitably support the current-collecting deviceor contact shoe 3, which maybe of any desired form for accomplishing theintended function. .The lower frame members 17 severally embody a mainbody member 25,-to which which comprises downwardly pro jectingarm 28.Each member is rigidly connected to one of the operating shafts29 thatare transversely disposed and are pivotally supported, at theirrespective ends, by means of bearing members '30 which are secured tothe inner longitudinal supporting angle irons 12. The lower extremitiesof the arms 28, that are associated with the members 17 on the same sideof, the device, are interconnected by means of the linkg 1 Saidinterconnecting mechanism comprises a bell-cranklever sane respectiveends of which are connected to the respective downwardly projecting arms28 of the adjacent members 25 by means of pivotally Thus, the pantographframe 4' is mechanically interconnected at its lower ends whereby anequali shaft-Q41 iscarried by ized parallel-motion device is providedwhich is capable of vertical movements only.

' The bell-crank lever 33 is pivotally mounted upon a pin 38 carried byan intermediate pivotally mounted T-shaped member 39 which is disposedintermediate the springs 6 andthe lower end'40 of which is pivotallymounted upon a shaft 41.

means of a bearing member 42 that is attached to the longitu dinalsupporting irons 12. f

I Theseveral coil-sprin s .6 associated with each side of the apparatusare disposed in 10 having opare mounted,

tothe longitudinal associated with, and

The

tions 44 of the=T-shaped'member 3 9;and

their outer ends being attached to chains 45 which cooperatively engagethe toothed cams 27 of the respective members T7.

The pivotal point 38 of'the bell-crank lever33 is located below the lineof action of the springs 6, and intermediate said line of action and thepivotal point 41-upon which the member 39 is mounted. Thus, any forcethat is transmitted to the intermediate T-shaped member 39, through theagency of the interconnecting linkage 5, is delivered at a point outsideof the center of pivotal movement tends to actuate the member 39 in theone direction or the other about its pivot 41, for a purpose to behereinafter set forth.

The several operating cylinders 7 are dis the apparatus, and are mountedor supthereof and, therefore,

ported upon longitudinally located supportmg members or angle irons 48which are at tached to the transverse supporting irons 13 and constituteparts of the framed supporting structure 2. members 49 are also securedto the. support ing irons 48 for the purpose of guiding and supportingthe transverse operating shafts 29 at their centers and, moreover,fortaking up the thrustsof the operating devices 7 and maintaining theshafts 29 in alinement.

Each of the operating devices 7 comprises acylinder 51 and amovablepiston 52 con tained therein which is suitably mechanicallyassociated with one of the shafts 29 by means of a crank arm 54, the endof which is preferably provided with a roller 55 for engaging the piston52. The crank arm 54 is pinned or otherwise fixedly attached tothe'shaft 29 and therefore serves to rotate said shaft when the piston52 isactuated by the admission of operatingfluid to thecylinder 51, inany well-known manner. Thus, the pantograph frame is loweredin position.

The fiuid-released restraining latch 8, which is most clearly shbwn inFig. 8, comprises a pivotally mounted latch 56 and a fluid-actuateddevice 57, both of which are supported by, the cen tral longitudinalsupporting irons 48. The latch 56 is pivoted upon a pin 58 and isprovided with an integral laterally projecting arm 59 that embodies ahook 60. The .latch 56 is adapted to cotiperaltewith a member or deteut61 that forms a part of one of the upper framemembers 18 and isassociated. directly with the cross-braces 20. A member or red 64,having an opening 65 in its lower end, cotiperates with the hook60 onthe latch 56 and is surrounded by acoil spring 66, one end of whichengages an enlarged flange 67 of the member 64 and the other end ofwhich A plurality of bearing i rests;upon a fixed'iplate flhe member 64'68 that is associated with the fluid-operating device 57. The spring'66, therefore, acts upon the member "64', and, through it, upon thelatch 56 to maintain said latch in its locked position.

7 further constitutes a piston rod ofthe fluid-actuated device 57 and 1s5 adapted to be cooperatively engaged by a movable piston 69 that iscarried within an operating cylinder 70. The piston [69 may be of anydesired form and is entirely separate and independent of the member orpisby reason .of which peculiar relation, the spring 66 servesiii-common to act against the piston 69 during its working movement andto return it to its initial position and also to bias the latch .56 toits locked Position.

; Assuming the various parts of the trolley shown in Fig. 2,the beraised by admitting operat ng fluid to the releasing device to occupythe positions I '57, whereby its piston 69 is forced clown- Wardlyagainst the spring .66 to cause the latch v56 to bewithdrawn from thedetent 61.

.The several springs6 upon the respective sides of the trolley'arethereby permitted to act conjointly through ,the chains .45 and thetoothed cams 25 to rotate the pivotally Iounted jointed frame membersand 16 to tend to bring them tothereby raise the current-collectingdevice orcontact shoe 3 into engagement with a trolley conductor (notshown). The nterconnecting linkage 5 performs a function f ,operativelyconnecting the several members 15 and 1-6 of the pantograph frame,insuring like movements thereof, and, moreover, .constraming thepantograph frame to vertical parallel movements.

the above description of the ,mode of operation of the apparatus, it ispresupposed that the vehicle upon which the trolley is mounted is atrest, and the relative positions of the variousparts are indicated infull lines in Fig. 1, the pantograph frame being vertical and occupyingits central and normal posi- Assuming :the vehicleis started intooperation toward the left, the "frictional resistance of the slidingengagement of the currentecollecting devlce .3 w th the trolleyconductor imposes a sufficient resisting force 'difca ed 111 t e tocausethe pantograph frame 4: ,to tilt ,or drag slightly in .a backwarddirection, as in dotted lines. This tilting movementis.onlypermittedbyreason of the assoc ation of the interconnecting llnlrage 5 i is,alone responsible for permitting a? ns m vs with [the pivotal T-shapedintermediate member 39, whereby said member is moved The pivotalmovement .of the member- 39 the tiltof the pentagram rame and, if theintercoimecting linkage 5 were not ZLSSOClfltGd with the members 17 ofthe pantograph frame in this way, said frame by the tension of thesprings 6, and a position of substantial equilibrium is established.However, in the event that an irregularity or deformation .of thetrolley conductor is encountered, it is evident that a much augmentedresisting force is imposed upon the contact shoe 3. Hence, thepantograph frame 4 becomes tilted to a greater degree in opposition tothe springs 6 which, however, act to immediately and positively returnthe pantograph :frame 4 to its balanced operating position. Inthis way,smooth .operation and good electrical contact between thecurrent-collecting device and the trolley conductor is maintained at alltimes, even though severe irregularities are encountered at high speeds.The operation of the trolley is similar in all respects to thatdescribed when the vehicle is running in the opposite direction.

Reference may now be had to the modification shown in Fig. 9, in whichthe body member of the pautograph frame member 1.7 is freely mountedupon the end of the shaft 29 instead of being fixed thereto, as in the.case of the apparatus shown in the preceding figures. Moreover, thebody member 25 is provided with an integral projecting member25 which isadapted to engage, and to constitute a part of, a driving connectionbetween the member 25 and the shaft 2.9 the latter being provided with acollar 29* that is pinned or fixed thereto and embodies a projecting lug29 that is adapted for engagement with the arm 25.

Obviously, this driving connection is effeoted only in one direction .ofrotation of the member 25 upon the shaft 29. For instance, when thesprings 6 function to rotate the member'25 in a clockwise direction toeffect the elevation of the pantograph frame 4, .the rotational movementof the member 25 is transmitted to the shaft 29 through thedrivingconnection referred to. However, after the pantograph frame 4 has beenraised into its normal operating condition, any slight downwardmovements during the opnation, b re son ft e rregu ri ie sea differencesin height of the trolley conductor, are effected without rotationalmovement of the shaft 29. The body members 25, however, are rotated uponsaid shafts. When it is desired to lower the trolley, the shaft 29 isturned in a counter-clockwise direction by the device 7. The lug 29engages the arm 25*, and thereby actuates the pantograph frame to itslowermost position where it is restrained by the latch 8.

In this manner, the up-and-down movements of the pantograph frame arenot opposed in any way bythe frictional resistance of the center bearing49, except in the successive extreme uppermost positions assumedthereby, and, therefore, the operation of the trolley is sensitive,rapid and positive and accommodates itself readily to the operatingconditions met in service.

Obviously, my invention is not restricted to the specific structuraldetails and arrangement and location of parts herein set forth, as manymodifications therein may be effected without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention, and such modifications are intended to becovered in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a trolley, the combination with a pantograph frame having'widelyseparated supporting points, and a c-urrent-collectlng device carried bysaid frame, of means disposed between said supporting points andoperatively connected to said pantograph frame for elevating said frameand permitting tilting movements thereof.

2. In a trolley, the combination with a supporting structure, apantograph frame mounted thereon at widely separate points, and acurrent-collecting device carried by said frame, of means mountedbetween said points for elevating said frame, and means cooperatingtherewith for ing movements thereof.

3. In a trolley, the combination with a pantograph frame having aplurality of pivotally joined arms and a current-collecting devicecarried thereby, of resilient means disposed between said arms forelevating said frame, and a mechanical linkage cooperating therewith forpermitting tilting movements thereof.

4. In a trolley, the combination with a pantograph frame having aplurality of arms and a current-collecting devicecarried thereby, of aplurality of coil springs disposed between said arms for raising thesaid frame in position, and mechanical means in terpose'd between saidsprings and cooperating with said pantograph frame for permittingtilting movements thereof while biasing the frame to a predeterminedposition.

5. In a trolley, the combination with a supporting frame, a plurality oftransverse permitting tiltshafts, bearing members for supporting theends of the shafts, a pantograph frame mounted on said shafts, and acurrent-collecting device carried by said frame, of a plurality of coilsprings interposed between said shafts and operatively connected to saidframe for conjointly actuating it to its upper position, a pivotalmember interposed between said springs and to which the adjacent ends ofsaid springs are connected, and means cooperating with said pantographframe and said pivotal member for permit ting tilting movements of saidframe and for biasing said frame to its initial position.

6. In a trolley, the combination with a supporting structure, aplurality of transverse shafts mounted on said structure, a pantographframe mounted On said shafts, and a current-collecting device carried bysaid frame, of a plurality of longitudinally disposed coil springsinterposed between said shafts and acting conjointly to raise saidframe, a pivotal member connected between said springs, and a linkagemechanism cooperating with said pantograph frame and with said pivotalmember for permitting tilting movements of said frame and con--currently moving said pivotal member to vary the tension of saidsprings.

7. In a trolley, the combination with a supporting structure, and apantograph frame comprising a pair of jointed frame members pivotallymounted thereon near their lower ends, of a pair of coil springsconjointly acting to raise said pantograph frame, a member connectedbetween said springs and out of the line of action thereof, a bell-cranklever fulcrumed intermediate its ends upon said pivotal member and at apoint between the line of action of said springs and the pivotal point,and a plurality of links pivotally connected to the respective ends ofsaid lever and to the corresponding lower ends of the respective jointedframe members. I

8. In a trolley, the combination with a pivotally mounted at a point foblib

pantograph frame comprising a plurality of I ing movements of saidpantograph frame.

9..In a trolley, the combination with a supporting structure, and apantograph frame comprising a pair of jointed frame members pivotallymounted thereon at their lower ends, of a mechanical linkageinterconnecting the lower ends thereof to constrain the movements ofsaid pantograph frame to parallel motions, of a pivotally i ifs tmounted member upon members supporting structure,

comprising a pair of t lower ends and connectingthe lower ends thereofto constrain the movements of for elevating sa d pantograph frame andfor permitting tilting pivotally mounted thereon at their lower 4osupporting structure,

I saidstructure,

1 atively connectmg saidlever to said frame. 3 14;- In a trolley,

supporting structure, a plurality of rotatable shafts, resilient meanstending to elevate said and an operative connection between.

i frame,

said shafts and said 6 0v supporting structure, and a I which saidinterconnecting linkage is pivotally mounted, and a plurality of coilsprings attached to said member and to the respective jointed frameframe. v

- 10; In a trolley, the combination with a a pantograph frame I jointedframe members 7 pivotally, mounted thereon at their a mechanical linkageintersaid pantograph frame to parallel motions, of means pivotallyattached to said interconnecting linkage movements thereof. 11. In atrolley, the combination with a supporting structure, apantograph framecomprising a pair of jointed frame members (ends, of a bell-crank leverpivotally mounted intermediate the lower ends of the respective j ointedframe members, a plurality of links pivotally connected to the ends ofsaid bellcrank lever and therespective lower ends of said jointed framemembers, means for per- .mitting tilting movements of said frame, and gmeans for elevatingsaid pantograph frame. 30

12. In a trolley, the combination with a supporting structure, and apantograph frame, of a plurality of resilient means acting to raise saidframe, a member pivotally mounted near one end thereof and disposedbetween said resilient means,

ally mountedbetweenone end of said memher and the point of mountingthereof, and

means for operatively connecting the ends of i said/lever to the saidframe. r

13. In a trolley, the combination with a and a pantograph of a memberpivotally mounted on a lever pivotally mounted between one end' of saidmember and the point of mounting thereof, and means for operframe,

the combination with a transverse shafts carried thereby and apantograph frame loosely mounted upon said frame for rotating saidshafts in one direction only, of fluid-actuated means carried by saidsupporting frame and operatively rotating said shaftsin the oppositedirection and lowering the pantograph frame.

, ,15. In a trolley, the combination with a pantograph for elevatingsaid pantograph a lever pivottween one connected to said shafts forframe, of a member pivotally mounted at one end, means for biasing saidmember to an upright position, a lever pivotally mounted between theends of said member, and means for operatively connecting the ends ofsaid lever to said frame.

16. In a trolley, the combination with a supporting structure, aplurality of rotatably mounted shafts, a pantograph frame mounted uponsaid shafts, and a currentcollecting device mounted upon said pantographframe, of means disposed between said shafts and operatively connectedto said frame for elevating said frame and for permitting a tiltingmovement thereof.

17. In a trolley structure, the combination with a supporting structure,and a plurality of rotatably mounted shafts, of a pantograph framepivotally mounted on said shafts, and means for causing said shafts tooperatively engage said frame when turned in one direction.

18. In a trolley, the combination with a supporting structure, and aplurality of rotatably mounted shafts, of a pantograph frame comprisinga plurality of pivotally connected arms that are pivotally. mounted onsaid shafts, means for causing said shafts to operatively engage saidarms when turned in one direction, a plurality of springs interposedbetween said arms and operativelv engaging the same, a member pivotallymounted at one end thereof and disposed between said springs, a leverpivotally mounted on saidmember at a point beend thereof and the pointof mounting thereof, and means for operatively connecting the ends ofsaid lever to said arms.

19. In a trolley, the combination with a plurality of insulators, ofcaps for said insulators having outwardly extending arms, a plurality oflongitudinal members rigidly attached to said arms, a plurality oflateral members rigidly attached to said longitudinal members, aplurality of lateral shafts rotatably mounted upon said longitudinalmembers, a jointed pantograph frame pivotally mounted on said shafts,means for turning said shafts in one direction, means for causing saidshafts to operatively engage said pantograph frame when turned in thisdirection, and means disposed between said shafts for permitting atilting movement of said frame.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th dayof March, 1915.

CHRISTIAN AALBORG.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. G.

